The Society for the Study of Evolution has honored NCSE's executive director with its first Stephen Jay Gould Prize. Named in memory of paleontologist and popular science writer Stephen Jay Gould, this award recognizes outstanding work in communicating the insights, applications, and importance of evolutionary biology to the general public. "Dr. Scott has devoted her life to advancing public understanding of evolution. As the executive director of the National Center for Science Education she has been in the forefront of battles to ensure that public education clearly distinguishes science from non-science and that the principles of evolution are taught in all biology courses," said the Gould Prize committee.
"[Dr. Scott] has been an important leader in the public sphere, molding and focusing the efforts of scientists, educators, lay people, religious groups, skeptics, agnostics, believers, scholars, and ordinary citizens through firm but gentle guidance...for these many reasons, it is extremely appropriate that Dr. Scott be the first recipient of the Gould Prize."
Dr. Scott will receive the prize at "Evolution 2009", the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Evolution held at the University of Idaho. She will also present a public lecture, "The Public Understanding of Evolution and the KISS Principle," on June 12th, 8pm, at the meeting.
For more details on the prize, go to: http://www.evolutionsociety.org/awards.asp#gouldprize
Dr. Scott was also recently hailed by Scientific American as one of the ten most important leaders in science and technology, along with Barack Obama and Bill Gates. The Scientific American 10 honor roll pays tribute to the ten people in the last year who have "demonstrated exceptional leadership and accomplishment in guaranteeing that future technologies will be applied to the benefit of humanity." Go to: http://ncseweb.org/news/2009/05/eugenie-c-scott-among-scientific-american-10-004783
CONTACT: Robert Luhn of the NCSE, 510-601-7203, luhn@ncseweb.org
Web site: www.ncseweb.org
The National Center for Science Education (NCSE) is a not-for-profit, membership organization that defends and promotes the teaching of evolution in the public schools. The NCSE provides information and resources to schools, parents, and concerned citizens working to keep evolution in public school science education. We educate the press and public about the scientific, educational, and legal aspects of the creation and evolution controversy, and supply needed information and advice to defend good science education at local, state, and national levels. Our 4000 members are scientists, teachers, clergy, and citizens with diverse religious affiliations.